Stage collar and related methods for stage cementing operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12024977-B2
Application number	US-202217987367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2022
Priority date	Nov 17, 2021
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to stage collars and related methods of operation thereof for stage cementing operations. In one implementation, a stage collar for stage cementing operations includes a barrel, and an activation sleeve disposed at least partially in the barrel. The activation sleeve includes first fluid openings. The stage collar includes an activation ring that includes an activation seat. The stage collar includes a first set of shear fasteners coupling the activation ring to the activation sleeve, and a second set of shear fasteners coupling the activation sleeve to the barrel. The stage collar includes a setting piston, and a closing sleeve disposed at least partially in the barrel. The closing sleeve includes second fluid openings. The stage collar includes a third set of shear fasteners coupling the closing sleeve to the barrel.

First claim

We claim:

1. A stage collar for stage cementing operations, comprising:
a barrel;
an activation sleeve disposed at least partially in the barrel, the activation sleeve comprising first fluid openings;
an activation ring comprising an activation seat;
a first set of shear fasteners coupling the activation ring to the activation sleeve;
a second set of shear fasteners coupling the activation sleeve to the barrel;
a setting piston;
a closing sleeve disposed at least partially in the barrel, the closing sleeve comprising second fluid openings; and
a third set of shear fasteners coupling the closing sleeve to the barrel.

2. The stage collar of claim 1 , further comprising:
an activation end ring coupled to the activation sleeve; and
a closing end ring coupled to the closing sleeve, the closing end ring comprising a closing seat.

3. The stage collar of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first chamber housing disposed at least partially about the activation sleeve and coupled to the barrel; and
a second chamber housing coupled to the first chamber housing.

4. The stage collar of claim 3 , wherein the first chamber housing comprises a housing seat extending inwardly.

5. The stage collar of claim 3 , wherein the second chamber housing is coupled to the setting piston using a fourth set of shear fasteners.

6. The stage collar of claim 5 , wherein:
the first set of shear fasteners are disposed in a first set of fastener openings extending into an outer surface of the activation sleeve;
the second set of shear fasteners are disposed in a second set of fastener openings extending into an outer surface of the barrel; and
the third set of shear fasteners are disposed in a third set of fastener openings extending into the outer surface of the barrel.

7. The stage collar of claim 6 , wherein the fourth set of shear fasteners are disposed in a fourth set of fastener openings extending into an outer surface of the second chamber housing.

8. The stage collar of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first flow chamber formed in the first chamber housing;
a second flow camber formed in the second chamber housing; and
a flow gap between the activation sleeve and the first chamber housing.

9. The stage collar of claim 8 , further comprising:
a bypass line formed in the first chamber housing and in fluid communication with the first flow chamber; and
a check valve positioned along the bypass line.

10. The stage collar of claim 1 , further comprising an arcuate plate coupled to the activation sleeve, the arcuate plate disposed at least partially in a recess formed in the activation sleeve.

11. The stage collar of claim 10 , further comprising a key, the key comprising:
a key plate coupled to the barrel; and
a key post extending relative to the key plate and into a slot formed in the barrel.

12. The stage collar of claim 11 , wherein the arcuate plate comprises a plate slot aligned with a slot formed in the activation sleeve.

13. The stage collar of claim 3 , further comprising:
a mandrel;
a packer disposed outwardly of the mandrel; and
a plurality of slips disposed outwardly of the mandrel.

14. The stage collar of claim 13 , further comprising:
a gauge ring disposed about the mandrel, wherein the second chamber housing is coupled to the mandrel, and the barrel is coupled to the first chamber housing;
a first wedge ring; and
a second wedge ring, wherein the plurality of slips are disposed between the first wedge ring and the second wedge ring, and the packer is disposed between the gauge ring and the first wedge ring.

15. A method of operating a stage collar, comprising:
running the stage collar in a wellbore in a run configuration;
positioning a first plug member against an activation seat of an activation ring, the activation ring coupled to an activation sleeve using a first set of shear fasteners, and the activation sleeve disposed at least partially in a barrel and coupled to the barrel using a second set of shear fasteners;
pressurizing the first plug member at a first pressure to shear the first set of shear fasteners and translate the activation ring to abut the activation ring against an activation end ring coupled to the activation sleeve;
opening first fluid openings formed in the activation sleeve;
pressurizing a setting piston at a second pressure through the first fluid openings;
pressurizing the first plug member at a third pressure to shear the second set of shear fasteners and translate the activation sleeve to an open position;
opening second fluid openings formed in a closing sleeve disposed at least partially in the barrel and coupled to the barrel using a third set of shear fasteners;
pumping a cementing fluid through the second fluid openings and into a casing annulus;
positioning a second plug member against a closing seat of a closing end ring coupled to the closing sleeve;
pressurizing the second plug member to shear the third set of fasteners and translate the closing sleeve to a closed position; and
closing the second fluid openings formed in the closing sleeve.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, prior to the running of the stage collar in the wellbore, adjusting one or more of the second set of shear fasteners or the third set of shear fasteners from an outer side of the stage collar.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pressurizing of the setting piston at the second pressure through the first fluid openings translates the setting piston, and the translation of the setting piston comprises:
moving a packer and a plurality of slips outward to engage a casing of the wellbore.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure, and the third pressure is higher than the second pressure.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the setting piston is pressurized at the second pressure further through:
a first chamber housing disposed at least partially about the activation sleeve; and
a second chamber housing interfacing with the first chamber housing.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the translation of the activation sleeve to the open position further comprises abutting the activation sleeve against a housing seat of the first chamber housing.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second chamber housing is coupled to the setting piston using a fourth set of shear fasteners, and the pressurizing of the setting piston at the second pressure shears the fourth set of shear fasteners to translate the setting piston.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, prior to the pumping of the cementing fluid, pressurizing the setting piston through the second fluid openings of the closing sleeve, the casing annulus, and a bypass line of the first chamber housing to translate the setting piston, wherein a check valve is positioned along the bypass line, and the translation of the setting piston comprises:
moving a packer and a plurality of slips outward to engage a casing of the wellbore.

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Webber Andrew
• Morrison Jeffery

Classifications

• E21B33/146 Primary

  Stage cementing, i.e. discharging cement from casing at different levels · CPC title

• E21B33/165 Primary

  Cementing plugs specially adapted for being released down-hole (cementing heads E21B33/05) · CPC title